  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 02/01/2015 On the traditional front page, a little boy with a mop of red hair and Asian facial features introduces his European great-great-grandparents in a sepia-toned illustration showing the couple in front of an old-timey car. Next come his great-grandparents, who pose in front of a framed version of the picture on the previous page, followed by Pops and Nana. Beginning from the back of the book, readers meet the boy’s ancestors on his mother’s side. First a sepia-toned picture of his Chinese great-great-grandparents on a stoop, then his great-grandparents wearing the iconic uniform of the People’s Republic of China, and then on to the jaunty double-page portrait of aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and one sneaky neighbor at the heart of the book. Petricic’s exaggerated watercolor figures all have happy faces and rosy cheeks, and family resemblances are impossible to miss. Small details link each colorful illustration and hint at historical changes. This lively and easy-to-follow family tree gracefully traces the little boy’s vast and varied ancestry. Children thinking about their own extended families will appreciate this clever picture book. - Copyright 2015 Booklist. School Library Journal - 03/01/2015 PreS-Gr 2—As this unique book so ably displays, one's family tree may have unusual branches from far-reaching places and different traditions. The story pulls readers in with its front and back covers of family members perched on their part of the family tree. Multigenerations of a boy's family start on one side with his father's close relatives and on the other side with his mother's family, beginning with his great-great-grandparents and converging in a current family portrait at the book's center. Lightly inked and washed with watercolor, each small family grouping forms the background portrait of a succeeding generation—figures in the clothing of their day with detailed surroundings that hint of their history. Small hand-drawn arrows in the page corners and instructions along the edges direct readers to the next page, and the next, or advise them of the best way to view the other side of the family. Children may even spot family features within this diverse group: the final portrait of multi-ethnic and non-traditional family members includes a wide range of ages (from newborn to grandparents), parents, aunts, uncles, siblings, partners, the family dogs, and the boy's neighborhood friend. Brief text follows a pattern and adds humor. VERDICT This is a must-have title with an emphasis on the diversity and the love that binds families together.—Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX - Copyright 2015 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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